This evening, we must say goodbye to the Code Black TV show after three short seasons on the air. Series get cancelled all the time — mostly due to low ratings — but, did this Wednesday night series deserve the ax or, should it have been renewed for a fourth season instead?
A CBS medical drama, Code Black stars Marcia Gay Harden, Luis Guzmán, Rob Lowe, Boris Kodjoe, Harry Ford, Benjamin Hollingsworth, William Allen Young, Emily Tyra, Noah Gray-Cabey, Emily Alyn Lind, and Moon Bloodgood. The story unfolds at Angels Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles — the busiest, most notorious ER in the country. The high patient volume dwarfs the resources available to the exceptional staff — creating a condition known as Code Black.
Debuting in September 2015, the first season of Code Black averaged a 1.27 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 7.11 million viewers. It was a middle-of-the-road performer for CBS that year and was firmly on the bubble.
It ended up getting a second season renewal but that came with a price. In an attempt to boost the ratings, some cast changes were made and Rob Lowe (whose FOX comedy, The Grinder, had just been cancelled) joined the cast.
Unfortunately, those changes didn’t seem to help the ratings. Season two of Code Black averaged a 0.97 in the demo with 5.98 million. That was down by 23% and 16%, respectively.
The CBS series once again squeaked out a renewal but the show didn’t earn a spot on the fall schedule this time. CBS held the season three premiere of the medical drama until very late in the season.
It’s very tough to launch a season so late in the broadcast season when viewers are either wrapped up in the final episodes of existing shows or starting to shift their attention to warmer month activities. CBS might have done better to hold season three until after Memorial Day or July 4th but, they didn’t.
Season three has averaged a 0.70 rating in the demo with 5.69 million viewers. For a summer CBS show, that’s not too shabby. Compared to season two, that’s down by 27% in the demo but down by just 5% in viewership. That’s pretty rare to have such a moderate year-to-year decline in viewers. Like most CBS programs, this one tends to skew older.
Compared to CBS’ other summer shows, Code Black is doing quite respectably. In the demo, it’s outperforming scripted series Salvation and Elementary. In viewership, it’s beating all of CBS’ summer shows, including all three nights of Big Brother.
While Code Black’s ratings have not ever been stellar, it’s hard to understand why the network didn’t renew Code Black for a fourth season. They could air it during Summer 2019 so they could amass enough episodes for syndication. Perhaps that scenario didn’t make sense financially. Alas, we may never know.
What do you think? Do you think CBS should have cancelled Code Black or renewed it for a fourth season?
I loved this medical show Code Black. It was the most exciting show on CBS this summer. I hope another network will pick it up because I really looked forward to watching it and now I’m going to miss this show a lot. The show had good actresses and actors on the show and i really enjoy it a great deal. Of all the medical shows on TV, Code Black was the most nail biting medical show on TV, it is even better than Grey’s Anatomy. It doesn’t have the excitement that Code Black did and more family friendly. All… Read more »
Code Black is a consistently well-written and wonderfully well acted show. I am angry it has been cancelled. There is so much poorly written garbage on television that cancelling a high quantity show like this seems utterly ridiculous. Do advertisers not realize that if a show is constantly poor quality, people won’t tune in and see their ads? This show brought me back every week and was riveting enough that I’d stay in the room during commercials to be sure I didn’t miss anything. Please reconsider and keep this show going!
I agree with you PaquiXochitl, I’m highly ticked off.
I’m so bummed I like this show. 🙁
I am so upset. I just posted on FB about Code Black 6 weeks ago saying this was the best season yet! The Rob Lowe story line with his brother and with Rox on the ambulance was exciting not to mention the love interest. Ariel with the cancer kid. Mama and his brother. I thought maybe you got new writers. I rarely watch CBS but this was a show I never missed.Bring it back Please.
I love this show! The characters are stellar! Acting perfect! One of the best dramas on TV! It has me on the edge of my seat every week! I can’t believe you’re cancelling It! It’s definitely going to be missed!
Please bring back CODE BLACK!!! It is a great show that we watch every week. A great CBS drama that will be greatly missed. Please reconsider and bring back CODE BLACK. THANK YOU
Code Black has been an exceptional show. Why cancel it? Is it just the finances? Really!!!
I felt very strongly Code Black was one of the best shows on TV! Great cast, excellent acting and excellent writing! I wish CBS would reconsider!
Doesn’t fit the format of CBS programming. To bad CBS doesn’t really look at what viewers really want and would watch. I would take black over brothers or most of their other programming.
This is a good show. Good story lines. Great cast. I look forward to it as do my friends. CBS has some blah shows they are keeping. KEEP Code Black !
Really smart to cancel a show that has some semblance of reality – compared to the other shows you keep renewing – definitely made a mistake. The cast was super = bring it back.
No bad idea! Great show! Great cast great writing! I hope cbs changes their mind.
Please give Code Black another shot. It’s a great show.
Crying my eyes out! Fabulous episode. Fabulous Show. I don’t watch a ton of TV and one of the best shows I’ve ever watched is ending. CBS PLEASE RECONSIDER A 4TH SEASON.
I Love every character and the story & lifes lessons are amazing.
Please don’t cancel! Great show!